Paper-tension for type-writers.



No. 674,588. Patentad May 2|, l90l. A. W. STEIGER.

PAPER TENSION FOR TYPE WRITERS. (Lpplieation filed Aug. 20, 1900.)

(No Nodal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ANDREW W. STEIGER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO AUGUSTUS L. HOFFMAN, FREDERIO S. CON VERSE, AND.FREDERIO J. LEAOI-I, TRUSTEES, OF LYONS, NEW YORK.

PAPER-TENSION FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Batent NO. 674,588, dated May 21,1901.

Application filed August 20, 1900. Serial No. 27,426. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW W. STEIGER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusettahave invented certain new and useful Improvements inPaper-Tensions for Type-VVriters, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention in type-writers relates to devices for positioning thepaper-table and pressure and guide rolls with relation to the platen,and is particularly applicable to machines in which the platen,paper-table, and appurtenances are integral and removable from thecarriage.

In reviewing the evolution of writing-machines we find an occasionalinstancein which the pioneer machines were provided with fairlyefficient devices for holding the paper tothe platen adapted to thesomewhat crude state of the machine then. At the present time, however,it has become imperative to so construct the machine that the platen anddevices for holding the paper may be quickly removed from thecarriageand a different platen substituted for immediate use. It has been commonto force the pressure-roll against the platen by means of springs attached to the roll, and as the effect of the springs varies along thepressure-roll the paper may not feed accurately. This fault isparticularly troublesome if the paper is not perfectly smooth or in caseit should be creased or wrinkled more at one side of the center than theother.

Therefore this invention consists, instead of holding the pressure-rollto the platen by springs, of devices to clasp the pressure-roll at eachend of the platen exactly parallel thereto.

The platen is made with a carefully-finished rubber surface and issupplied with fingerknurls attached to its shaft for convenientmanipulation.

The paper-table consists of a sheet of metal bent about the lower halfof the platen and fastened at either end of the platen toreinforcing-strips of metal, which are furnished with trunnions toprevent the paper-table and connected parts from turning about theplaten, the shaft of which and the trunnions are supported in thecarriage. The platen and paper-table are maintained in proper relationto each other by hangers pivoted to the trunnions and hooked to suitablebearings on the shaft of the platen. Levers connected at theirextremities by a finger-bar are pivoted to the reinforcing-strips andcarry pins which enter slots in the hangers to clamp the pressure-rollin contact with the platen. The edges of the levers are beveled to formcams, which as the levers are pulled forward come in contact with thedisks on theshaft and push the pressure-roll away from the platen.Further motion of the levers allows slight depressions on the levers tosurround the disks, and a spring attached to the levers and hangerskeeps them in place. When the levers are pushed back beyond the point ofcontact of the cams with the disks on the platenshaft, the springs bringthe pressure-roll into contact with the platen, and as the levers reachthe extremity of their travel the pins fall into the lower portion ofthe slots in the hangers, and the pressure-roll is positioned andclamped parallel to the platen.

Pivoted in slots in the levers and arranged just beneath the finger-baris a guide-roll, which is lightly maintained in contact with the paperon the platen by springs connected to the finger-bar. This guide-rollkeeps the paper smooth on the platen and prevents defective impressionsof the type. When inserting the paper, this roll is pulled forward outof the way.

The invention further consists of the devices and their combinations,which will be pointed out.

In the drawings, all of which are enlarged, Figure 1 is an end elevationof my platen and accessories. Fig. 2 is a like view with the parts inchanged relation. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4:118 amodification.

The paper-table is held in place in bearings a on the carriage bytrunnions b, projecting from the reinforcing-strips c, and at the upperportion of the reinforcing-strips, just beneath the scale, thepressure-roll d is pivoted. Hangers a hook over hearings on the shaft ofthe platen f and are maintained in position by the trunnions b, whichpass through the lower portions of the said hangers. The parts connectedwith the platen are supported from the platen-shaft, which is pivoted atthe bot tom of the slot t of the carriage, as indicated by dotted linesin Figs. 1 and 2, such being the ordinary construction of the Jacksonmachine. There are cam-levers g pivoted to the reinforcing-strips c andconnected by springs t' to the hangers to furnish a yielding or floatinglink attachment between the hangers and levers for purposes that willappear. The 1evers have beveled edgesj, which when forced against thebosses k on the platen-shaft separate the pressure-roll and platen. Asthe finger-bar h is pulled forward over the scale attached to thereinforcing-strips c the slight depressions Z of the cam-levers g justbeyond the highest portion of the said beveled edges encircle the bossesk, and the springs 1; hold the parts in this position for the easyinsertion of the paper. To clamp the pressure-roll parallel to theplaten, I insert pins in in the levers g, and as the levers are restoredto their normal position the pins rise over the cam projections 71 ofthe hangers e and sink toward the lower portion of the slots, thuseliectually clamping the pressure roll the same distance at each endfrom the platen.

Sometimes instead of utilizing the levers g to separate the platen androll I cut slots 0, with parallel sides, in the hangers, and the pins mnow both clamp and free the pressure-roll. This construction requiresmore accurate work, and I find it easier to adjust the parts when thecam projections are on the hangers e and the beveled edges on the leversg to separate the roll and platen.

For the purpose of holding the paper smoothly over the platen I supportin slots in the cam-levers g a guide-roll p, which is lightly pressedagainst the platen by springs 1", attached to the finger-bar h. Theposition of the guide-roll p to hold the paper is determined by bosses son the trunnions b, which limit the backward motion of the levers g.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a type-writer, hangers connected with the platen-shaft, apaper-table having trunnions journaled in the carriage that restrain thehangers from rotation about the platen, levers pivoted to thepaper-table, a guideroll mounted in the levers and devices to press theroll toward the platen, springs tending to hold an extension of thepaper-table and the guide-roll in contact with the platen and a latch toposition the roll and extension clear of'the platen, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a type-writer, a pressure-roll arranged in proximity to a platen,cam-levers to separate and hold roll and platen apart, combined withpins on the' levers and interlocking cam projections to secure thepressure-roll parallel to the platen, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writer, a platen, hangers depending from the shaft of theplaten and restrained from rotation about the said shaft by thetrunnions of a paper-table, which lat ter supports a pressure roll, cam-levers, spring-connected to the hangers, pivoted to the paper-table andadapted to free the pressure-roll, combined with pins on the cam-leversand projections on the hangers, designed to clamp the pressurerollparallel to the platen, substantially as described.

4. In atype-writer, hangerssupported from the platen, pivoted levers,connected bya finger-bar, carrying a spring-positioned guideroll, linksand springs connecting the levers with the hangers, combined with meansto lock the guide-roll out of contact with the platen when inserting thepaper, and means to position the guide-roll and platen to hold the paperwhen writing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subseribe'd my name this 27th dayof December, A. D. 1899.

ANDREW W. STEIGER.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. DALEY, A. O. ORNE.

